Uncanny X-Men # 2 Review

UNCANNY X-MEN # 2
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Jamie Mendoza, Al Vey & Victor Olazara
Marvel Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

            Love. Love is a wonderful thing. Then love gets broken by betrayal. And there is more than one betrayal dealt with in the second issue of Uncanny X-Men. Emma really looses her shit … as tweeted by writer Brian Michael Bendis himself. And she does. But not in the way you’d think. No. Emma’s … frustrated. She’s frustrated cause her telepathy is in flux. She’s frustrated cause her relationship to Scott is torn to shreds because of her cheating on him. (HA. Karma Scott. Karma! Aka He cheated on Madelyn with Jean and then on Jean with Emma).  We get a very nice look at her relationship with Scott now. They aren’t together. It is obvious something is still there but they are not together.

            Meanwhile, we get to see the new students of Cyclops’ New Xavier School with a bitching schematic of the new facility while we have character interaction. We get a little more development of the new students as a bunch of X-Men head on to visit Eva’s, new codename Tempus, home to tell her mother she’s okay. And then we get a cliffhanger of an ending as the Avengers show up.


ART:

            Bachalo once again delivers an issue full of innovations and slight usage of propaganda. While the propaganda visuals are far less this issue, there are a couple in certain panels that work well. Yet, some of the innovations in panel work this issue really helped deliver a strong impression.
            We got great panel work that is fragmented which is a physical representation of Emma’s current state of mind. There is an order to it but its shuffled because of her powers being in flux. It is also an interesting way to visually describe her relationship with Scott.  Using 1 part propaganda, one part vacation package and one part schematic, Bachalo and the gang really do a splendid job of showing the schematic of the base in a way that let’s readers know what’s going on, add it to the main story and sell it as part of Scott’s revolution all at once.  It’s gripping to see and I am impressed how the students are taking to it.
            The new costumes are growing on me save for Magneto’s. I’m sorry but white on him just does not feel right. Red. Yes. Purple. Yes. Black. Yes. Even blue and yellow would be better than white on him. But that is more a personal thing.
            All the inkers really do a great job to flesh out Bachalo’s pencils but Bachalo’s coloring this issue feels more vibrant than it did in issue one. Really wonderful job by the art team.

WRITING:

            I like Bendis. I like this issue. Emma and Scott’s early conversation about where she’s act and their relationship was really good. It keyed into what has happened between them. It shows Scott keeping himself strong while show slight vulnerability when it comes to Emma. Emma’s vulnerability was definitely brought to bear for the readers and to Scott. Yet, that’s all who see it. It is good seeing Emma remembering that she’s a damn good teacher. And it is good to seeing the evolution of the characters.

            Magik, honestly, felt nice and fresh here. She knows she’s no good but at the same time, she wants to fight for Scott’s revolution. I can agree with it. And I certainly understand it. Illyana seems to have also grown in a good way. Which makes her reasons being with Scott all the more interesting. And her has a teacher, even though she’s the same age as at least one student makes the dynamic even better. Magneto … honestly, I am loving him right now. He was with Scott till Avengers vs. X-Men and then things when nuts. Magneto, in his own way, must feel some blame for Charles’ death yet is putting it on Cyclops. And this issue continues his Judas ways. Yet, Bendis writes it in such a way that you can’t help but agree with Erik a little.

            The new characters give fresh eyes as we are seeing a brand new generation of Mutants coming in. With that said, characterization is not a problem this issue. The panel work worked extremely well with Bendis’ story. Save for my one gripe … the ending seemed a bit too fast. Like the pacing of the issue was great till the last 4 pages.  The cliffhanger was great. The conversation between Scott and Emma was superb. The students getting used to the new Xavier School was wonderful. Yet, because of the issue having quite a few pages in the beginning devoted to Emma and Scott, the end of the issue didn’t feel balanced. Things felt rushed at the end. Yet, still … Bendis writes a great X-Men book with a distinctly different voice than his All New X-Men Title.

OVER ALL IMPREPSSION:

            While The ending seemed to be go from 30 to 90 within a few pages, the over all issue was really spectacular. We’re getting great character development. The characters feel real. The art was better this issue. And there is a building of investment alongside all the innovations done this issue. Uncanny X-Men may very well redefine the way you look at the mutant struggle both verbally and visually. Solid job by Bendis, Bachalo and crew.

RATING:

            I give Uncanny X-Men # 2 a 8.5 out of 10. Really great job.

Uncanny X-Men # 1 Review

UNCANNY X-MEN # 1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Al Vey & Jamie Mendoza
Marvel Comics


FLIPPING THROUGH:

            Normally, I would give you a brief history but the book does that for you. We get an interesting device of the issue being narrated by the person that is the Judas to Cyclops’ revolution. This was definitely a different Cyclops. Yet, it works and fits with everything that has occurred since Avengers vs X-Men. Cyclops is now an outlaw and considered a revolutionary with the mutant population booming again.
            His team scoops in to gather a brand new mutant only  to encounter Sentinels. Magneto, depowered a little bit because of the Phoenix (which still makes me scratch my head since the Phoenix attacked other mutants and their powers didn’t go gaga like his) and a now over powered Cyclops takes them down. The rest of the team gathers a young man  who just dealt with emerging powers. Not much on Magik but Eva who we saw in All New X-Men is now going by Tempus.
            Our narrator seems to be talking to Maria Hill & Nick Fury Jr. At the end, we get a reveal of our Judas. And I will just keep it there.


ART:

            Bachalo’s style has always been very different. I do not know many people with a similar style (the closest being Mark Buckingham but his style evolved differently than Bachalo’s). There are gritter inks to it but there are some definitely uses of propaganda art throughout the comic that helps give it the right feel, thanks to the inking team of Vey, Townsend & Mendoza. Cyclops is indeed leading a revolution now. And I hope this ride is a very, very long one … LIKE AT LEAST A DECADE. Anyway, Bachalo not only pencils the issue but also colors it himself. And Bachalo’s art looks amazing.
            Each panel is distinct and rich but there are pieces where things really work in terms of art that deals with Cyclops’ revolution. It is like the book continues to not only side with Cyclops visually, but shows you dramatic pieces that jump at you as if it were a program. Bachalo does not disappoint with the Sentinels either. Yet, I am not too keen on Magneto’s redesign. There were a couple of panels that seemed a bit  . .. fast. Like the opening panel with Hill, Coulson & Fury walking down a corridor. I have seen Bachalo’s work for years but I don’t know if it was the pencils or inks but it feels like that panel was rushed to get into the “good stuff.”  Each panel, in my mind, is important but that one just looked rushed or lazy. Yet, the coloring makes the panels vivid and working towards a propaganda style that goes along with Cyclops revolution. Otherwise, a solid job by Bachalo.


WRITING:

            This is probably one of the most inventively written books from Bendis. As I touched on with the art, there is a sense that is book is continuing giving you propaganda. From Cyclops’ image on the first page, to multiple panels which show Mutants getting attacked. Bendis crafts a great opening issue. He gives you the background. He sets up problems with SHIELD. He sets up this new mission of Cyclops’ yet also gives a very interesting look at it. Already, one of Cyclops’ most trusted X-Men are betraying him. Yet, we see loads of propaganda that prove Cyclops’ point visually while we are being told the opposite about Cyclops verbally. It makes an interesting was to go through the issue. It enhances what is going on even more and makes an interesting statement in the causes that Cyclops is now championing.
            Each characters voice was interesting. Yet, I find that for a book called Uncanny X-Men, we seem to have a split focus on SHIELD as well. Still, Bendis writes a bit darker here and it works. The use of propaganda over topped by the Judas’ narrative was inventive. The characters’ voices rang true. A great solid first issue by Bendis.


OVERALL IMPRESSION:

            Bendis continues his mastery over all things X-Men with an inventive start for Uncanny X-Men’s third volume. The flavor of added propaganda mixed with narration from one of the people that is supposed to be one of its champions was a great storytelling device. Bachalo’s art is just as inventive with interesting colors and panel work, yet some of it was a little lazy. Otherwise, I am excited to see where this road takes Cyclops.

 
RATING:

            I give this book an 8.0 out of 10. A few lazy panels aside, I loved the opening of this book and look forward to more.

Comic News: Cyclops RETURNS In New "UNCANNY X-MEN" for Marvel NOW

   Confirmed today by artist Chris Bachalo after last week's Uncanny teaser, Marvel NOW will be relaunching the Uncanny X-Men. Bachalo mentioned that while it was tough to jump from Wolverine & the X-Men to Uncanny X-Men, he described his decision in his personal blog as such:

"It's me an Bendis on a new launch of the series," Bachalo said. "This was a tough one as I was really enjoying my time on ['Wolverine and the X-Men'] but Brian asked for me to help him launch the new Uncanny and how do you turn down that offer?"

  The new image teases that Magneto and Magik (or Emma) are along with Cyclops for the ride. So yeah .... Cyclops is not planning on being a prisoner much longer and considering that many of the Marvel Now titles hinted that Magneto and Magik are wanted fugitives ... it is safe to assume that Scott will be breaking out of jail.

    The new Uncanny X-Men will be "a little darker" according to artist Bachalo as well as he redesigned the entire cast for the book. This will be a decidedly different Uncanny X-Men, keeping in route with the schism that had been put in place when the X-Men split a mere year ago. The new Uncanny X-Men will feature at least  2 "new" mutants and some of the former Phoenix Five will have altered abilities. So, Namor and  Emma may also be in this book as well.

Uncanny X-Men #1 (apart of Marvel NOW) written by Brian Michael Bendis and art by Chris Bachalo will hit stores this February.

THE REPLACEMENTS # 3 - WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN

Yet. 2 this month. Because there is a lot coming in the next few months. Here are the Replacements for Wolverine's Side of things.


WOLVERINE  & THE X-MEN/X-MEN LEGACY

FRENZY - AISHA KLAN KLAN of Outlaw Star

       Joanna Cargill has been a lot of things in her life. Many of them included soldier of fortune and acolyte. She was even a murder once. Yet, all these things left her wanting. Till a trip in an alternate reality showed her the good side of life as an X-Man. After that one trip, and some pushed on feelings of love for Cyclops, she decided that she loved the respect and admiration of a hero. She loved the respect. And she wanted it. Frenzy reformed to become an X-Man.Still, she's loud, macho, abrasive, super strong and nearly invulnerable. Since the Schism, Joanna decided that it was best for her to become a teacher at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning

      Aisha Klan Klan is the feisty, space cop who goes after Gene Starwind at first on Outlaw Star. She soon finds herself without a job but eventually joining the crew of the Outlaw Star. Aisha is loud, abrasive and super strong. Hey . ...  sounds like someone we know right.Aisha has both Frenzy's attitude and strength, making her a formidable replacement for the X-Man.


ICEMAN  - TOSHIRO HITSUGAYA of Bleach

    Iceman. One of the original 5 X-Men. He was the class clown for years, always being a jokester and enjoyed his role of being the youngest and having the least responsibility. That was until now. For years, we had seem glimpses of Iceman's true power. Now, Bobby Drake is showing us what he has, both in terms of powers as Iceman and as an accountant and one of the teachers in the Jean Grey school. He has finally unlocking his potential and now we are gonna see it.

    Now, Toshiro Hitsugaya, the captain of the 10th Division of the Soul Reapers in Bleach is a child prodigy. He is the youngest Soul Reaper to make captain in Soul Reaper history. He is usually very serious and all about business. So, he sounds different from Bobby. So why pick him? Simple, he's the opposite in Bobby in terms of personality and where life is taking him but he, like Bobby, is just starting to reach his full potential with his ice abilities. While Bobby is starting to get serious, Hitsugaya is learning to relax thanks to Ichigo, Rangiku & the others. Both men are finding balance in their lives is helping them unlock their true power. Their devastating Ice powers have made them both the most powerful among their respective groups and that, my friends, is why I am placing him here.


ROGUE - PRIEST of Needless

   Rogue has become quite the character over the past decade. She was originally a terrorist, working with her foster mom, Mystique to becoming an X-Man who did not have control of her powers of absorption to the point where she spent years having the powers of Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel; which included flight, super strength and near invulnerability. That all changed during the early 2000s as Rogue was knocked down to having just her absorption powers: yet as Mike Carey & now Christos Gage is showing . ..  those powers are all she needs. She has control over her powers. She has control of her life. Rogue has proven herself several times as a capable leader and great teacher. Rogue has become one of the most beloved X-Men. Her once some what wild self is still there a bit but tampered with the wisdom of her experience, her confidence in herself and her over all out look that she can beat down anything.

  Priest is . .  an interesting character. He's reckless at times when he wants to be but still skilled enough to know when to fight. He's smart when it comes to battle strategies but awkward when it comes to regular life. Yet, he means well and will fight whoever he has to in order to stop the evils of Simeon or any one who tries to hurt his friends. Priest in very confident in his powers and he holds a zest for life, much like Rogue. He's a bit of a pervert but other than that (and his sex) he has similar powers to Rogue; being able to absorb & copy powers that are used against him. He's sharp in battle. He can absorb powers. He can lead when he needs to. He can be brazen at times. Yep, sounds like Rogue.

GAMBIT - MAMORU KURUSANAGI of Blue Seed

   Gambit, Gambit, Gambit . . . you awesome, suave X-Man you. You are just fun, cunning butt kicker who is now a teacher. And a good one. Whether it is to teach kids to deal with dark sides that rip at their insides or how to break into a house without being noticed,  you are skilled. Yet, you have grown. Gambit still the action junkie we knew when we first met him years ago. He's a great teacher who will listen to the kids but also will be brash when he's with his fellow X-Men. He has grown to the point that he knows he wants a life with Rogue but til she is sure that she wants one with him, he's going on with his life. Cunning, capable and awesome, Gambit is definitely one of the most fun loving and capable X-Men.

 Mamoru Kurusanagi is a harden man but great protector of the Kushinada, Momiji in Blue Seed. Mamoru is quick and fast in battle, proving very capable. Yet, he loves to jump into action. He struggles at times with his duty to protect Momiji and his own freedom at first but he decides to fight alongside her to make sure she  survives the evil Aragami who want to kill her. Mamoru is almost Gambit to the tee. He's a sweet talker to women at times. He's a great fighter. He can sneak around without being seen with ease. He even has a trenchcoat. The only major difference is powers. While Gambit uses his kinetic cards to fight off his enemies, Kurusanagi uses his human, plant hybrid body to make parts of his skin into shape like knives to cut down his enemies or, when he gets his 8th otama (blue seed), he will blast someone away. Truely, powerful, reckless yet gentle, Kurusanagi is a great choice to replace the Ragin' Cajun.



CANNONBALL - SIMON of Gurren Lagann

  Cannonball really grew up in the eyes of readers and the X-Men. Starting out as a skinny New Mutant, he then shared leadership with the New Mutants after Karma first left, then followed Magento then Cable then took leadership of X-Force then joined the X-Men. He went back to X-Force for a time but eventually found his way back on the X-Men. The first time he joined the X-Men, he was finding his way on to the team. Now, he's as confident as ever with his actions; with his convictions and knows he belongs with them.

   Simon is one of the guys we really see grow up during the course of Gurren Lagann.

AVENGERS VS X-MEN BATTLE REPORT # 2

by Hector Ramirez & Frankie Rodriguez

   Welcome once again Clashers to Avengers vs X-Men Battle Report. We are gonna catch you up to the event as well as lay out what happened, who got hurt and more. One thing I will express is an apology to you all and especially Hollatchaboiy who was correct, Nova is in a coma right now. 

In New Avengers #24:

    This issue actually takes place right before the fighting begins in AvX # 1. It shows Captain America gathering the troops together. And when he does, we get marital discord. First, we have Storm who walks out after the mere mention of the Phoenix. Then, we have Luke Cage and his wife, Jessica Jones-Cage. After a heart felt plea for his wife and daughter to come home on national tv, Luke Cage sees his wife returning with daughter and Squirrel Girl. Yet, what happens later is that Jessica has decided to leave the Avengers, with their daughter ... forcing Luke Cage to have to choose between his family or the Avengers; a choose that Jessica did not like to give to Luke. 

Wolverine & The X-Men # 9: 

The staff and students of the Jean Grey School are made aware of the approaching Phoenix Force through technology and telepaths. Captain America comes to ask for Logan and Hank's help. Logan tells the staff and Gladiator tries to inform Warbird of the Phoenix but can't. So,he is coming to Earth. 

Avengers # 25: 

Thor returns in time to raid an AIM facility. Cap is feeling the stress of being leader of the Avengers. Meanwhile, the Supreme Intelligence of the Kree Empire (thought he was dead) sends Noh-Varr (aka Protector) to stop the Phoenix Force no matter what.

Avengers vs. X-Men Round 2: 

    The fight has begun between the two teams and boy, is it big. We got Namor saying he is beating up the Avengers with a heavy heart. We got Red Hulk going up against Colossus. We have Iron Man vs Magneto and  Emma Frost. We have Quicksilver joining the Avengers vs Magneto. We have Magik vs Dr. Strange. Wolverine being called a traitor by Domino and Sunspot. And the reveal that Storm and Black Panther have been seeing a marriage counselor. 

   Meanwhile, Beast, Valkyrie, War Machine, Ms. Marvel, Protector, Vision, Captain Britain & Thor are in space ... about to take on the deadly Phoenix. And Hope, angry that she is being put out of the fight, figures out that all this is for her and Wolverine tries to kill her. TRIES being the operative word. 

INJURY REPORT:

Avengers: 

 - Luke Cage & Jessica Jones-Cage's marriage is pretty damn broken. 

 - Black Panther & Storm's marriage is hurting pretty bad.

X-Men: 

 - Cyclops must have several concussions ... as does Captain America.

- Bruises and cuts from all combatants.

- Beast JUST had his stomach fixed up after having Sabertooth rip his guts out.

- Multiple members of Generation Hope have broken noses including Transonic.

- Wolverine, Spiderman & Generation Hope suffering burns because of our little Mutant Messiah.

CASUALTIES: 

  None ... yet. 

NOTES: 

 - First, while Cyclops believes all mutants are soldiers ... he has Generation Hope hang back with Hope. Hmm ... how very ... Rogue-like for him. 

- Captain America is in full war mode here. He reminds me of how he was during Civil War. And Red Hulk is more than happy to follow orders. Red Hulk's military man like personality shines through. 

- Wolverine tries to kill Hope instead of just take her and Spidey tells him to stop. Like that was gonna work. 

- Dr. Strange vs. Magik. I don't know about you but we are looking forward to this. 

 - Countess Von Doom has a thing for Hulks. And it is kinda nasty. 

 -  The space team is staring down the Phoenix, with only Beast having any real experience with it. 

 - Wolverine is honest and upfront with the staff of the Jean Grey School about the Phoenix. 

- Quentin & Rachel feel the Phoenix coming and it knocks them out. 

 - This it the second time that Jessica Jones-Cage has ran away from her husband. The 2nd! Does not bode well, that marriage. 

 - Storm and Black Panther stop to have a martial spat between the war. I would normally say that that is insane but this is Black Panther and Storm we are talking about. 

  - The Battle between Red Hulk & Colossus shakes the shoreline. Oh wow. 

 - Sunspot calls Wolverine a traitor after saying that he and the other mutants in Utopia had their head up Cyclops' butt too long. 

 - Captain America went into the Jean Grey School; had a Danger Room pop quiz ... and only got a B-. 

- The Protector is planning to stop the Phoenix for the Supreme Intelligence. But at what cost? 

 - Thor vs. The Phoenix ... another battle that we have never seen but always wondered about is about to happen.

 - Hope developing her Phoenix powers more and more as it gets closer. And notice ... she did NOT kill Wolverine or Spidey. 

- There isn't much reaction from the JGS X-Men yet but I am sure we will see it soon enough. 

- Gladiator is heading toward Earth to save his son; to hell with the rest of the planet & the X-Men. 

 - Second part of that, Gladiator said it was okay to activate the Death Commandos ... you know them. The Shi'ar force that was responsible for killing nearly every single member of the Grey blood line save for Cable, Nate Grey & Rachel. And Rachel got to watch it all. So ... yeah ... Rachel is gonna be PISSED.

#33 -WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN (#1-3) : BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

Wolverine and the X-Men: 1-3 Back to School Night 

Story by Jason Aaron
Art by Chris Bachalo & Duncan Rouleau

By Hector Ramirez

RATING SYSTEM:


Red Hood (Jason Todd) -1
Robin (Damian Wayne) - 2
Robin (Tim Drake) - 2.5
Red Robin (Tim Drake) - 3
Red Robin (Dick Grayson) -3.5
Nightwing (Dick Grayson) - 4
Batman (Dick Grayson) - 4.5
Batman (Bruce Wayne) - 5






Greetings Clashers! Hector here and I’m here to take you to school. The Jean Grey school that is. This week we’re taking a look at  Wolverine and the X-Men , that being said watch that first step, it’s a doozy.

Starting off, I’d like to give a brief overview of X-Men Schism which split the X-Men up into the two factions they are now in. it all starts when Cyclops go to the U.N. in an effort to rid the world of the mutant hunting robots known as sentinels. At the conference Quentin Quire a.k.a. Kid Omega launches a psychic attack  on the leaders of the  world  causing them to admit their  deepest darkest secrets. Seeing this as an excuse to deem mutant-kind a threat to humanity the world leaders  scramble to get there hands on any bit of  sentinel technology they can get their hands on. Enter Kade Kilgore; who has just became the CEO of his family’s weapons company and Black King of the Hellfire Club, all at the age of 13. Kilgore built a giant Sentinel that drew in metal from its surroundings to build its body and sent it to Utopia to destroy the X-Men. With the rest of the X-Men dealing with the other Sentinels, Scott and Logan are left with the youngest recruits and that's where things take a turn for the worst. Logan believes that kids shouldn’t have to risk their lives in such a situation while Scott believed they should stand and fight as X-Men. This leads to an altercation that lead to the split.
 

Logan has decided to return to West Chester to re-open  the Charles Xavier school and renaming it the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. It is when the New York Department of Education sends two representatives to check out the legitimacy of the school when things take a turn for the worst. All the technologies that Hank programmed into the school are going haywire and the grounds themselves seem to be attacking. Turns out  that  Kade Kilgore and his little playmates in the Hellfire Club are making sure everything that can possibly go wrong does. Also, it turns out the grounds are attacking because beneath them lives a grandchild to Krakoa, a living plot of land. After penetrating the creature's mind, the unlikely hero of Quentin Quire saves the day by calming it down and convincing it that the X-Men are not the enemies. After cleaning up the mess, Logan sends Kilgore a little surprise in the form of a legal subpoena delivered by one Matthew Murdock Esquire.

I, for one, enjoyed this story. It really showed how far Logan has come. He’s not the irrational berserker he's been known to be anymore. He’s really grown and isn’t afraid to show his softer side. He really cares for the kids and he shows it by everything he went through to re-open the school; to give them somewhere to learn and grow where they won't be considered a mutant army the way Scott tried to make them out to be. As for the art, I liked it. It had a great balance of realism and artistry so that it wasn’t too cartoony. In closing, with a great story told with good art. I rate this plotline a Grayson Batman. Good work crew. This is definitely a title I will be keeping up with and I suggest you Clashers to do the same. Until next time friends, keep clashing!  


You can follow the Jean Grey School on Twitter with: Jean Grey School of Higher Learning

Please check out their live Tweet of the Future History Course, taught by Jean Grey's & Scott Summers' daughter, Professor Rachel Grey on January 11th, 2012 @ 2:00pm EST.


NEXT WEEK: CBC's EIC Frankie Rodriguez reviews Cyclops's side of Mutantdom with a review of Uncanny X-Men #1-3.

JEAN GREY SCHOOL SURVEY: WHAT CLASSES WOULD YOU TAKE?

With the collection of courses now up on Marvel.com: Jean Grey School, we survey a bunch of our readers over the courses they would take. And with the course and a great and interesting staff teaching these courses (which include Wolverine, Shadowcat,  Rachel Grey, Iceman, Rogue, Beast, Gambit, Cannonball, Husk & more) Here are the Results:


by Frankie Rodriguez




SuperVan Adazol chose:

How to Weaponize Household Products 
The Art of Fighting Without Fighting 
The Art of Fighting With Fighting 
Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! 
Downloading Foreign Languages (Rachel Grey)
 Sex Ed (Gambit)
Know Your Alien Races. And How to Kill Them (Lockheed)
 Flying Into Things Headfirst (Cannonball)

Joe Miranda chose: 

 Brain Spelunking: Exploring the Recesses of Your Own Mind
Outer Space Survival Skills: My Time As A Starjammer
Mutant Philosophy: The Teachings of Xavier, the Lessons of Magneto
The Art of Fighting Without Fighting
The Art of Fighting With Fighting
Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY!
Downloading Foreign Languages
Know Your Alien Races. And How to Kill Them

Alternate Dimension Explorer's Club
Bamf Hunting Club
Study Abroad Program

New CBC writer Darryl Carter chose: 

World History (1880 - 1950): An Eyewitness Account with Logan
[Why? Because it would be nice to get the facts straight from the source, untainted by politics or imperial influence]

Ethics 101: Forgetting Everything You Ever Learned From Emma Frost, with Headmistress Pryde
[Because sometimes I don't trust myself]

How to Weaponize Household Products, with Professor Remy LeBeau
[Improvisation is the tool of a wise man]

Diction and Linguistics, with Professor Rogue
[Rogue, need I say more. Just love her accent.]

Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! With Headmistress Pryde
[I'm not stalking Kitty I promise.]

Flying Into Things Headfirst, with Professor "Cannonball" Guthrie
{I haven't quite mastered flying yet.]

Mutant Literature, with Professor Paige Guthrie
[Probably a very interesting course]






Gerald Williams chose:

Brain Spelunking: Exploring the Recesses of Your Own Mind, with 
Professor Rachel Grey

Ethics 101: Forgetting Everything You Ever Learned From Emma Frost, with Headmistress Pryde

The Art of Fighting Without Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

The Art of Fighting With Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! With Headmistress Pryde



Derrick Jones chose:


Brain Spelunking: Exploring the Recesses of Your Own Mind, with
Professor Rachel Grey

How to Weaponize Household Products, with Professor Remy LeBeau

Outer Space Survival Skills: My Time As A Starjammer, with Professor Rachel Grey

The Art of Fighting Without Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

The Art of Fighting With Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! With Headmistress Pryde

Flying Into Things Headfirst, with Professor "Cannonball" Guthrie

And my Extra Cirricular......

Study Abroad Program: Spend a semester in K'un-Lun, Wakanda or
Chandilar, the throneworld of the Shi'ar.



Ron Crane chose:

The Art of Fighting Without Fighting


The Art of Fighting With Fighting


Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY!


Downloading Foreign Languages


Know Your Alien Races. And How to Kill Them







CBCs Hector Ramirez chose:


How to weaponize household items


Psychic self defense


Sex ed


Computer hacking 101


Future history 101


 The art of fighting with fighting


The art of fighting without fighting

J1 Studios' Andre Darryl Martin Stanley chose:

1)The Art of Fighting Without Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

2)The Art of Fighting With Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

3)Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! With Headmistress Pryde

4)Sex Ed, with Professor Remy LeBeau

5)Know Your Alien Races. And How to Kill Them, with Professor Lockheed

6)How to Weaponize Household Products, with Professor Remy LeBeau

Chris Thomas chose:

Mutant Literature, with Professor Paige Guthrie

Downloading Foreign Languages

The Art of Fighting Without Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

Mutant Philosophy: The Teachings of Xavier, the Lessons of Magneto

Diction and Linguistics, with Professor Rogue

Shinigami (Ray Riley), mastermind behind the J1 Sound Team & All the mixes there, chose: 

Brain Spelunking: Exploring the Recesses of Your Own Mind, with 
Professor Rachel Grey


The Art of Fighting Without Fighting, with Headmaster Logan

The Art of Fighting With Fighting, with Headmaster Logan


Mutant Philosophy: The Teachings of Xavier, the Lessons of Magneto


Downloading Foreign Languages

Toku Time host and internet personality, EZ Rider, chose:

Mutant Philosophy: The Teachings of Xavier, the Lessons of Magneto


The Art of Fighting With Fighting, with Headmaster Logan


Computer-Hacking 101: ONLY FOR USE TO SAVE THE DAY! With Headmistress Pryde

How to Weaponize Household Products




Clubs:


Alternate Dimension Explorer's Club

Fencing Club

Comic Book Club

And these were all the classes that were chosen. These are some interesting results. All but one of our surveyors picked Art of Fighting without Fighting and Art of Fighting With Fighting courses. Computer Hacking 101 being the next most popular course along side Know Your Alien Races and How to Kill them with Downloading Foreign Languages being the 5th most popular course. And there will be more courses to come as Northstar, Kharma and Cecila Reyes are all slated to join the Jean Grey School teaching staff.

Well, this was indeed a fun survey. Get ready to see more surveys in the future.


For more of EZ Rider, go here:

One of the few Tokusatsu Reviews I know. Great guy with a good set of reviews, a few countdowns and some specials. Tokusatsu is special effects in japanese but it is what the genre of live action stuff like Power Rangers and Kamen Rider Dragon Knight are based off of. Toku Time or Reviewtopia: Toku Time is where you can find him.

And for more on Shinigami's music, go here:

 THE NEWLY RELEASED SPIN DASH AUDIO:

The new Sonic Remix album by Shinigami and Forafire. Plus, hit the rest of J1 Studios for other comics, tv and more.  Downloads for Spin Dash Audio for FREE

SERAPH'S (FRANKIE'S) TOP 10 # 1s of 2011

Happy Holidays Clashers. We here at CBC decided we are gonna have some fun this week. And how so? Why with a bunch of countdowns and more talking about all the stuff that happened last year.

So what do we start with? #1s of course. There have been soooooooooo many #1s this year that it was incredible. And yes, this is in part due to the New 52s. Yet, even with that, we saw a vast majority of interesting concepts and ideas seen this year. And These concepts carried over to new ideas. And you are about to see many of those concepts. I am only counting #1s that came out during 2011.

WARNING: This list is subjective while still explain why their places and prepare for a few surprises.

BY FRANKIE RODRIGUEZ (aka SERAPH)


HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Batman: Knight of Vengeance # 1
Batwing #1
Daredevil #1
Flashpoint #1
The Occultist # 1
The Infinite #1
Demon Knights #1
FF#1
Catwoman #1
Cobra #1




TOP 11 #1 ISSUES OF 2011


11. VOODOO # 1

     Written by Ron Marz
      Art by Sam Basiri
     DC COMICS

        And right out the gate I am getting people going WTF. But make no mistake. This book is GOOD. The first issue is one that was a bit different from the others in the New 52. It told a story of two government agents. The female agent ended up proving herself to be tough and serious about her job. The male agent, on the other hand, seemed more laid back. Voodoo herself was a mystery; which is part of the allure of the book.
      Marz gives us a very different Priscilla Kitlen then we have seen before. She is sexy. She is smart. And Boy, is she dangerous. Yet, the question becomes is she good or evil. And Marz lets the reader either make their own judgement or have them decide to keep reading to see her ultimate fate.
    Basiri continues to give a very sexy book where men are men and women are GORGEOUS. Voodoo is still a stripper and we even get a link to her name. You are not sure what side Voodoo is on but it is the beginning of what will be an interesting, sleek & sexy romp. Good tone and pacing make it worthwhile. Unfortunately, the ending was great and left a good cliffhanger but there was points were I wanted more screen time of Priscilla herself. Still, one of the best #1s of this past year that is sorely underrated.



10. UNCANNY X-MEN # 1
   Written by Kieron Gillen
    Art by  Carlos Pacheco
   MARVEL COMICS

       Okay. This issue offered a lot. A whole lot. And I wasn't the biggest fan of Cyclops at the end of Schism. Yet, Scott Summers had changed so much since he became the "ruler" of mutantkind that it scary what the man thinks now. And it seems very consistent with the evolution that Scott's been having since the days he was in Grant Morrison's hands.
        Scott forms the Extinction Team; a team of X-Men with a dual purpose:
 First, to act as the World's Greatest Super Heroes; and already stepping on the toes of Avengers, I see Scott.

And Second, to show the world that the X-Men will not be victims anymore as proving that they are, as Scott says "weapons of mass destruction."

  With the team that he picked, Scott really showed us that this could very well be the strongest team in X-Men history: himself as leader, Storm as his second command (who was begged to stay with Cyclops' faction of X-Men), Emma Frost, Magneto (yes, he has not turned back into a villain), Namor, Colossus (who gained the powers of the Juggernaut during Fear Itself and lost Kitty Pryde in the process), Magik (yep, resurrected cause of House of M and still powerful), Danger & Hope Summers (technically, Scott's granddaughter).

      Showing that they will be handling as many big threats as possible, Scott and his Extinction team faces off against the Dreaming Celestial and . . . well. The number one established the team, gave some interesting character interaction to show that this team is not entirely happy being together and establishing Cyclops new status quo for the mutants on Utopia. The fact that Cyclops left a letter to humanity as both a call saying they are there to help but don't mess with mutants or you'll get it just bright to light how this group of mutants are gonna operate.

A great start for a different kind of X-Men.


8.  GI JOE#1


    Written by Chuck Dixon
     Art by Javier Salteres
    IDW PUBLISHING

      Yo Joe! After Chuckles infiltrates Cobra to kill Cobra Commander, Cobra decides to hold a contest to bring forth a new Cobra Commander. And the contest has 8 candidates. How do these candidates win this contest? Simple . . . the person with the most Joe kills becomes the new Cobra Commander. And this premise opens the doors to soooooooo much. We see ample Joes in the first issue as well as meet up with a few of the candidates. Baroness shows up. And Joes begin to die like flies.
    This new premise gives a new danger to GI Joe we have not seen before. Dixon composes a script where there are scores of characters but no one really feels like dead weight. And Cobra strikes while setting up multiple conflicts with Cobra and GI Joe as well as within both organizations. This issue made me want more and reminded me that NO Joe was safe. The large cast though made it feel crowded. It was handled well but still a bit sufficating at times.  A great starting point to a great story.



8. STORMWATCH #1


  Written by Paul Cornell
   Art by Miguel Sepulveda
  DC COMICS

        Now. Yes. I know that some people find this surprising. And it is a surprising to me. Yet, I loved this issue. And before I get ringed out for not posting other #1s . . . keep reading but let me point somethings out. Out of ALL the new 52 #1s, Stormwatch #1 is the one I read the most. Yes! READ THE MOST. Within the first week of its release, I read Stormwatch #1 7 times. SEVEN TIMES!
       The Wildstorm elements in the new DCU was really welcome and this book delivered it the best. Cornell, like he did with Demon Knights, showed us all the characters; each with distinct personalities, quirks and more. Engineer's trying to fix situations and questioning her leader. A bit of Adam One's interesting mental issues. Jenny Quantum's wonder as a super powered child. Apollo's want to do right but not be part of the costumed community. Jack Hawksmoor's way with the cities on the planet. Martian Manhunter's resolve to be a warrior, not a super hero. Projectionist need for recognition. Harry Tanner's misdirection and wonder.
     Stormwatch even hinted at connections with Milestone's Shadow Cabinet. World threatening moon. Wonderous excitement. People not getting along. Heck, Midnighter's appearance showed his ability and his desire for Apollo in one smooth appearance. ALL IN THE FIRST ISSUE.
    Why did I not top it on this list, you ask?  Simple. For all it's good, the other 8 issues were just better.Yet, Stormwatch holds strong as #8.





7. MOON KNIGHT #1


  Written by Brian Michael Bendis
   Art by Alex Maleev
  MARVEL COMICS

          Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev have been wooing audiences with their stuff for Marvel and Icon for quiet sometime now. The team has such a solid record that the mere mention of these two working together means the book will sell on that fact alone. So, what do they do together after celebrated hits such as Alias and Daredevil? Why, they deal with Marvel's answer to Batman . . . Moon Knight? Yet, this time, Marc Spector is a bit different this time around.
       Bendis first puts Spector back in the West Coast, actually producing a television show based on his time as Moon Knight. Next, the hero is sent on a mission by Captain America, Wolverine and Spiderman to take down the new Kingpin of LA. Spector agrees, taking down some smugglers as he finds some VERY important stolen technology. Third, Spector decides to look into the stolen tech  . . . which come to find out, has connections to a classic Avengers villain and an Avenger. Finally, Bendis shows us that Spector is just not over his multiple personality disorder . ..  but it is quite a different animal this time around.
       The clues are in our faces at first but we don't really see it. These interesting twists on the character makes for a new, compelling beginning for the Fist of Khonshu and made readers want to know more like: Who is the new LA Kingpin? What does this have to do with that "technology" that was being smuggled? And how crazy is Marc Spector?
       These were just some of the questions that made readers want more . ..  such as myself.



6. WONDER WOMAN# 1


  Written by Brian Azzarello
   Art by Cliff Chang
   DC COMICS

    GEEZ! This book is AMAZING! Ok. Let me calm my fanboy. *breathes in and out* Seriously, this book made me scream yes, yes, YES!! Finally. A creative team that is putting Diana up to a level where her adventures and threats are on par with Batman's & Superman's. Azzarello gives us a new, terrifying new version of the Greek Gods and it is GLORIOUS.
    Diana is sucked into a battle with the Gods as a young woman is being hunted down by Sentaurs . .. created by the latest incarnation of Hera by chopping off the heads of 2 horses and MAGIC!
   WOW! Azzarello commented over and over again that this WW was a HORROR book and Cliff Chiang lived up to that with some terrifying yet amazing imagery and panel work. Diana, still looking like the Amazon she always ways but a bit darker, did not hold back in this issue either. Yet, the thing that is putting this down was that it was between a quick issue and a full story. It felt like a few pages were missing. Otherwise, this was just solid.
   Did I reread this #1? Yes I did. Did I share it with my friends? Yes I did! This first issue gave us a Wonder Woman that was quite different from any other and it was amazing!




5. UNDYING LOVE #1 
     Written by Tomm Coker & Daniel Freedman
     Art by Tomm Coker
    IMAGE COMICS 

      Okay. I love mythology. It is one of the reasons why I love comic books so much. Stories of gods, heroes, villains and everything in between to give you lessons and/or warnings. So, when I heard this book was dealing with vampires and Chinese mythology, I was onboard.
       Coker and Freeman tell the tale of lovers Mei and John. John is former military and he and Mei want to be together. So, what does John want to do for his immortal love? Why turn her back into a human being. And how does he accomplish that . ..why, go after the vampire that sired her. But that is DEFINITELY NOT going to be easy from the looks of it.
      Coker and Freeman mix love, action, horror and mythology that flows together seemlessly in this first issue. Yet, there just felt that there wasn't enough in this first issue with the two lovers. With just enough information to get you to care and enjoy the characters and story but still keep you wanting more, Undying Love #1 was a true triumph of a number 1.
 

4. BATMAN #1
  Written by Scott Synder
   Art by Greg Capullo
   DC COMICS

   This book was definitely refreshing in so many ways that it hurt without me realizing it. Snyder took Bruce Wayne's world, Gotham City, and made it into the living organism that not only spoke to the readers and characters but seemed to have actions of its own.
     We see Bruce starting a new stage in his life and for Gotham as he plans a massive revitalization project for the slums where his parents were murdered. As we see Bruce and 3 out of his four wayward "sons", the city starts to react in its own way.. Murders start to spring up and an old urban myth reemerges leaving Batman stumped. Especially considering evidence that one of his "sons" may be a murderer.
    The characterizations of Batman and his supporting cast were spot on with slight evolutions to Bruce, Dick and Alfred. The fact that there was an organization that is moving against Batman with his own city helping along seemed intriging.
     All of this was rendered beautifully by Capullo's art. We get the dark, grim tones of Gotham, with plenty of villains to match but also a great look at Bruce and Batman in different ways. Capullo is drawing for his life in this book and it really shows. This book felt like a truly packed issue and full story and not a breeze some of the other DC 52 #1s did. The only thing that was really bringing down this first issue; a subplot idea that was introduced and left clues towards the cliffhanger but something that could have definitely been a story onto itself. Otherwise, a great start for Batman.



3.  ACTION COMICS #1
    Written by Grant Morrison
     Art by Rags Morales
    DC COMICS 

     Grant Morrison. The name alone has made people decide to buy the book, with a select number deciding not to touch it. And the name was not the only draw to the book. Unlike Batman, Superman's entire history was being rebooted with this book telling how Clark Kent aka Kal El started out as Superman. And let me tell you, this is distinctively different.
     Morrison crafts a tale of a Superman who is more for the common man; partially an omage to the early Superman comics in the 30s & 40s while also standing as a tribute to the sign of the times in our world now. This Superman is a brash, goes up against corruption and does not mind hurting the bad guys too much. Rags Morales's pencils really give depth and charm that really illustrates this Clark in a different way. Ma and Pa Kent have died and Clark is just starting out. Lois is the go-getting firecracker that she always was with a modern spin. And Lex . ..  in the few pages we see him, is VERY much the slimball we known.
    Action gives a great dipection of a man who is learning to be a Superman in EVERY sense of the world. Not just in power levels, which are decreased at this point in his career but also in attitude and mind frame. Yet, what is bringing this down. Well, honestly . .. the way it ended was good but it felt like they could have added a little more suspense to it. That is what is bringing this issue down. It is the story of the construction on the "world's greatest super hero" (YES, I STOLE IT FROM DAN SLOTT & SPIDEY). And Morrison and Morales really hits this first issue home about this everyman learning to be a true Superman.



2. WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #1 
   Written by Jason Aaron
    Art by Chris Bachalo
    MARVEL COMICS

    THIS BOOK IS SOOOOO GOOD!!! When they first announced that the X-Men were splitting in two with their books following suit, I was happy. I meant the the Cyclops/Emma Frost/Wolverine/Magneto/Namor show .. . I mean their continued use as the forefront characters was coming to an end so that other X-Men were gonna be able to shine.
    Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo bring the most fun, most ridiculously cool, high concept X-Men book in years. Not since the now fabled Whedon and Cassidy run on Astonishing X-Men has the book been so fun. Not since Morrison's X-Men run has the group mixed high concept with classic ideas. The next Generations of mutants in this school are not just pretty little things. They are multifaceted and are all colors and shapes, making this feel truly international and flavored.
     We see familiar characters in new roles or different roles that they have either never been in or just not comfortable with. And it is GLORIOUS! Wolverine is the uncomfortable headmaster who really feels that he does not know what he's gotten himself into and has dragged Kitty along with him as his headmistress. The Beast has made the new school, which he renamed the Jean Grey School For Higher  Learning. Ah if Wolverine is not giving the finger to Scott with this move, I don't know what is. The students are just as interesting as the teachers.With compelling, yet multifaceted characters like Kid Omega and Idie to new characters like Broo and Kid  Gladiator, this school is showing us a whole new charm of its own. And Aaron knows his X-Men history as he digs from the past to give us an old threat in a brand new way.
      All in all, this book is funny with great dialogue, characters that are believable in unbelievable circumstances with some brand new concepts mixed with classic X-Men tropes to really stand out. Bachalo is drawing the work of his career and this books is just so good. Pick this up. Yet, with all this, it could not top the next book. This book made me laugh and feel true happiness but it did not do what the number one did. Still, if you want to see and read one of the best and fun books in years, this book is it.


1. ANIMAL MAN #1
   Written by Jeff Lemire
    Art by Travel Foreman
    DC COMICS

     I know I am getting some interesting looks . ..  a few WTFs. And there are a few fans going like YES! This book has caught critical acclaim. It is the second most reprinted book of DC's New 52, besides Justice League. THIS BOOK. Not Action. Not Batman. Not Wonder Woman. Not Teen Titans. THIS BOOK. This book has single handedly turned nearly all its readers into fans. And I can honestly say that I am one of those people.
    I LOVE this book. I am a big team book person but this year, it was revenge of the solo titles. And BY THE  MATRIX, is this book worth every single drop of admiration it has gotten and more.
    Lemire brings us a brand new first issue which introduces us to Buddy Baker, Animal Man, and his family. Lemire constructs to us a man who feels that super heroing is part of his life but not the main focus. He see his family life. We see him as a hero and we see how twisted and quickly this book can change. Human reactions to his daughter getting powers. Foreshadowing of the horrors to come. Touching character relations when a father loses his child and Buddy must confront them.
   Foreman's art brings home the touching human moments, glorifies the super heroic parts and frightens the terrifying beings that will become Animal Man's protagonists. The shading, inking and color differs from each part just a little to make them distinct but still flow amazingly well. This book is NOT a typical book. Much like Voodoo, this isn't necessarily about superheroes but a family.
    Overall, this book set a new standard in writing and art that just resonates with me in a whole new way. It is the #1 issue I continually tell people to read. Yo . .. you should read this. Hey! READ THIS BOOK! If you haven't read this book yet, get the reprints of #1. You owe it to yourself to read it.
    This book made me think. This book made me laugh. This book made me tear up just a little. And this book scared me. I instantly became attached to Buddy and his family and I am horrified by the two major plot developments in the last third of the issue. With all this, I just could not stop wanting this book more and more; thus making it  my #1 book of the year.


And thus my list of the Top #1s of 2011. Feel free to agree or disagree and leave some comments below. And prepare yourself as Comic Book Clash will have a very big year ahead of itself. From everyone here in Comic Book Clash & J1 Studios, Happy Holidays!

NEWS EDITION # 1 - VALIANT REBORN, X-MEN REGENESIS & DCNU EDITORIAL

WELCOME ONE & ALL to the Evolution of Comic Book Clash & Comic Book Quick Hits; CBC News Edition. Here, we will give you news, rumors and more on all things comics. We are gonna touch all sorts of areas and there will be more. We here at J1 Studios & Comic Book Clash believe we need to give you more so that is what we are doing; more content to make Comic Book Clash and J1 Studios a Leader in all things Geek, Sheek & Complete. We are gonna start with a break down.


SHINKU SELLS, REPRINTS ON THEIR WAY

   First off, a great congrats to Ron Marz, Lee Moder & Image Comics for selling out their first issue of Shinku. The new series features a war between vampires and ninjas that started in feudal times has now taken root in the present. Ron Marz is scripting with Lee Moder doing art. If you do see a  Shinku in the store, GRAB IT as it is going back into the press for a 2nd printing.

 And why is Shinku doing so well. Many critics have praised its story and artstyle alongside the interesting concept of Samurai vs. Zombie. Don't believe me? Ask your local comic shop keeper about it.

Shinku #1 is written by Ron Marz (of Witchblade & Green Lantern fame) with art by Lee Moder ( of post zero hour Legion of Superheroes fan) for $2.99, out now and reprints due July 7th, in time to get it with Shinku #2 which comes out the same day.

ANGEL & FAITH RETURN IN AUGUST

     Over in Dark Horse, the next stage of Angel's comic book tales begins in August with the brand new Angel & Faith. Yes, you saw that correctly. Angel, the vampire with a soul and Faith, the rogue Vampire Slayer, will be featured in a new ongoing series. In the new series, Angel wants to make amends for his ill conceived plans as Twilight during Buffy Season 8. Faith is also working towards redemption. So with access to the Watcher Files, the two embark on a journey of redemption as Angel awakens from a near catatonic state from Buffy Season 8. Angel does not have his Fang Gang anymore but with Faith, they both work towards making up for their past . . . and future deeds.

 Dark Horse begins their Buffy/Angel attack again starting this August with the new Angel & Faith ongoing series. Written by Cristos Gage with art by Rebekah Issacs, Angel & Faith #1 will hit stores August 31 for $2.99.





VALIANT REBORN

      Valiant Comics back in the day was going toe to toe with Marvel, DC and directly at odds with Image Comics for the number 3 spot back in the 90s. And now . . . finally, the company is going to have a resurrection. After Acclaim went defunct, Cueno & Co, LLC. gave Valiant management the finacial backing they need in order to resurrect. And resurrect they shall with a bunch of new titles coming out in 2012.

There have been no formal details of which titles and who will work on them with only mentions that Bloodshot, Ninjak, Harbinger & X-O Manowar will be among those titles that will return come 2012.

Valiant, now Valiant Entertainment has already shifted gears as a Bloodshot promotional poster has been made by former Immortal Iron Fist artist Danny Aja!

We will look more into Valiant's return once we get a full scope of their launch titles.







HARVEY AWARD NOMINEES REVEALED

   Our Next article is a break down of the nominees for this years Harvey Awards; A comic book industry award given each year and named after the founder and cartoonist who started MAD Magazine.

Best Letterer
• Scott Brown, Box 13, Http://www.comixology.com and Red 5 Comics
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, IDW
• Dustin Harbin, Casanova, Image Comics
• Troy Peteri, Witchblade, Top Cow
• Robbie Robbins, Locke & Key: Keys To The Kingdom # 1, IDW
• John Workman, Thor, Marvel Comics

Best Colorist
• Veronica Gandini, Mice Templar: Volume 10, Image Comics
• Laura Martin, The Stand, Marvel Comics
• Ed Ryzowski, Gutters, http://www.the-Gutters.com
• Dave Stewart, BPRD, Dark Horse Comics
• Jose Villarubia, Cuba : My Revolution, Vertigo/DC Comics

Best Syndicated Strip Or Panel
• Cul De Sac, Richard Thompson, Universal Press Syndicate
• Doonesbury, Garry Trudeau, Universal Press Syndicate
• Mutts, Patrick Mcdonnell, King Features Syndicate
• Non Sequitur, Wiley Miller, Universal Press Syndicate
• Tom The Dancing Bug, Ruben Bolling, Universal Press Syndicate

Best Online Comics Work
• Guns Of Shadow Valley, David Wachter and James Andrew Clark
• Gutters, Lar Desouza, Ed Ryzowski and Ryan Sohmer
• Hark! A Vagrant, Kate Beaton
• La Morte Sisters, Created Tony Trov, Johnny Zito and Christine Larsen
• PvP, Scott Kurtz

Best American Edition Of Foreign Material
• AX: Alternate Manga, edited By Sean Michael Wilson And Mitsuhiro Asakawa, Top Shelf
• Blacksad, Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, Dark Horse Comics
• It Was The War Of The Trenches, Jacques Tardi, Fantagraphics
• The Killer: Modus Vivendi, Matz And Luc Jacamon, Archaia
• Torpedo Volume 2, Jordi Bernet, IDW

Best Inker
• Damian Couceiro, Hawks Of Outremer, Boom! Studios
• Steve Ellis, Box 13, comiXology & Red 5 Comics
• Gabriel Hardman, Agents Of Atlas, Marvel Comics
• Mark Morales, Thor, Marvel Comics
• Sal Regla, Magdalena, Top Cow

Best New Series
• American Vampire, Scott Snyder, Stephen King and Rafael Albuquerque, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Echoes, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rashan Ekedal, Top Cow
• Gutters, Lar Desouza, Ed Ryzoski and Ryan Sohmer, http://www.the-Gutters.com
• Kill Shakespeare, Anthony Del Col and Conor Mccreery, IDW
• Sixth Gun, Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, Oni Press
• Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee, Marvel Comics

Most Promising New Talent
• Barry Deutsch, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Amulet Books
• Comfort Love And Adam Withers, Rainbow In The Dark
• Chris Samnee, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Marvel Comics
• Scott Snyder, American Vampire, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Nick Spencer, Morning Glories, Image Comics

Special Award for Humor in Comics
• Matt Groening, The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis, Abrams ComicArts
• Roger Landridge, The Muppet Show, BOOM! Studios
• Ryan Sohmer, Gutters
• Shannon Wheeler, I Thought You Would Be Funnier, BOOM! Studios
• Thom Zahler, Love And Capes, IDW

Best Original Graphic Publication for Younger Readers
• Amulet # 3: The Cloud Searcher, Kazu Kibuishi, Graphix
• Jingle Belle, Paul Dini
• Meanwhile: Pick Any Path. 3856 Story Possibilities, Jason Shiga, Amulet Books
• Reading With Pictures, Josh Elder, executive editor, Reading With Pictures
• Smile, Raina Telgemeier, Scholastic Graphix
• Tiny Titans, Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, DC Comics

Best Graphic Album Previously Published
• Art In Time, Edited Dan Nadel, Abrams ComicArts
• Beasts Of Burden: Animal Rites, Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, Dark Horse Comics
• Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: Aritist’s Edition, Designed by Randall Dahlk, Edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW
• The Marvelous Land Of Oz, Eric Shanower and Skottie Young, Marvel Comics
• Tumor, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noel Tuazon, Archaia

Best Anthology
• Blab World #1, Monte Beauchamp And Bill North, Last Gasp
• CBGB, Kieron Gillen and Sam Humphries, BOOM! Studios
• Popgun # 4, Edited by D.J. Kirkbride, Anthony Wu and Adam P. Knave, Image Comics
• Reading With Pictures, Josh Elder, executive editor, Reading With Pictures
• Strange Tales, Volume II # 1, Edited By Jody Leheup, Marvel Comics
• Uniques Tales, Tanya Eby and Mallette Pagano

Best Domestic Reprint Project
• Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: Aritist’s Edition, Designed by Randall Dahlk, Edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW
• The Darkness, Garth Ennis, Marc Silvestri and Batt, Image Comics
• Jet Scott, Jerry Robinson and Sheldon Stark, Dark Horse Comics
• Li’l Abner: The Complete Dailies and Color Sundays, Edited By Bruce Canwell, IDW
• Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, Neal Adams and Dennis O’Neil, DC Comics

Best Cover Artist
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, IDW
• Jenny Frison, Angel, IDW
• Marcos Martin, Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Comics
• Mike Mignola, Hellboy, Dark Horse Comics
• Frank Quitely, Batman and Robin, DC Comics

Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation
• 75 Years Of DC Comics: The Art Of Modern Myth-Making, Paul Levitz, Taschen Books
• The Art of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets of Life and Death, Edited by Todd Hignite, Abrams Comicarts
• Jerry Robinson: Ambassador of Comics, N. C. Christopher Couch, Abrams Comicarts
• Oddly Compelling Art Of Denis Kitchen, Denis Kitchen and Charles Brownstein, Edited By John Lind and Diana Schutz, Dark Horse Books
• Portrait Of A Sequential Artist, Directed by Andrew D. Cook, Montilla Presentations

Special Award For Excellence In Presentation
• Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: Artist’s Edition, Designed by Randall Dahlk, Edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW
• Oddly Compelling Art Of Denis Kitchen Kitchen, Denis Kitchen and Charles Brownstein, Edited by John Lind and Diana Schutz, Dark Horse Books
• Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, Darwyn Cooke, IDW
• Shazam! The Golden Age Of The World’s Mightiest Mortal, Chip Kidd and Geoff Spear, Abrams Comicarts
• Wednesday Comics Hardcover Edition, Edited By Mark Chiarello, DC Comics

Best Graphic Album – Original
• Duncan, The Wonder Dog, Adam Hines, Adhouse Books
• Market Day, James Sturm, Drawn and Quarterly
• Scott Pilgrm Volume 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Oni Press
• Wilson, Dan Clowes, Drawn And Quarterly
• X’ed Out, Charles Burns, Pantheon

Best Continuing Or Limited Series
• Chew, John Layman and Rob Guillory, Image Comics
• Daytripper, Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Echo, Terry Moore, Abstract Studio
• Fantastic Four, Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham, Marvel Comics
• Locke & Key: Keys To The Kingdom # 1, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriquez, IDW
• Love And Rockets: Volume 3, Jaime And Gilbert Hernandez, Fantagraphics

Best Writer
• Cullen Bunn, Sixth Gun, Oni Press
• Joshua Hale Fialkov, Echoes, Top Cow
• Roger Langridge, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Marvel Comics
• Ryan Sohmer, Gutters, http://www.the-Gutters.com
• Mark Waid, Irredeemable, BOOM! Studios

Best Artist
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, IDW
• Dean Haspiel, Cuba : My Revolution, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Brian Hurtt, Sixth Gun, Oni Press
• Ed Ryzowski, Gutters
• Chris Samnee, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Marvel Comics

Best Cartoonist
• Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit, IDW
• Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets, Fantagraphics
• Jeff Lemire, Sweet Tooth, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, Oni Press
• Jeff Smith, RASL, Cartoon Books

Best Single Issue or Story
• Acme Novelty Library #20: Lint, Chris Ware, Drawn and Quarterly
• Echoes # 1, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rashan Ekedal, Top Cow
• Daytripper, Fabio Moon and Gabiel Ba, Vertigo/DC Comics
• Locke & Key: Keys To The Kingdom #1, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriquez, IDW
• Love and Rockets: New Stories, Volume 3, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, Fantagraphics
• Popgun # 4, Edited By D.J. Kirkbride, Anthony Wu and Adam P. Knave, Image Comics
• Wilson, Daniel Clowes, Drawn and Quarterly

POWERS CAST JASON PATRIC & MORE

    FX is currently working on a pilot for the fan favorite series, Powers. Co-creator and executive producer Brian Michael Bendis says shooting will begin soon and we got characters picked out. Lucy Punch as Deena Pilgrim and Jason Patric, of Lost Boys and Speed 2 fame, will take the lead as Christian Walker. Charles Dutton & Baliee Madison round out the main cast. Considering the actual track record of FX shows and the material, this could be the next big hit.




X-MEN: REGENESIS AFTER DEATH




6 - Over in Marvel. It has been confirmed. Uncanny X-Men will come to an end this fall with issue #544 . . . ONLY to restart again. Yes. You heard me right. Uncanny X-Men #544 will be the FINAL ISSUE . . . of Volume 1. It seems that the X-Men event, Schism, will end up dividing mutants for years to come as we find the Cyclops and Wolverine will each lead a faction.
      The split will be more of a philosophical and methodological split; so no . . .THIS WILL NOT BE BLUE TEAM & GOLD TEAM that first split the X-Men into two titles back in the 90s. This will be about how and where mutants are going and how to handle the world around them. There will be no reconciliation anytime soon.

This break will lead to the two teams with two new #1s. The new Uncanny X-Men # 1, featuring Cyclops' team as we see them try their best to become the premiere super hero team on the planet. The new Uncanny X-Men will be written by current Uncanny X-Men writer, Kieron Gillen with art by both Carlos Pacheco & Greg Land.

While Wolverine's group will be congregate in Wolverine & the X-Men which will be written by Wolverine and Schism writer Jason Aaron with art by fan favorite, Chris Bachalo. Aaron commented about the book with this:

 " big crazy plots, intense character drama, love, sex, anti-mutant hysteria, man-eating aliens, all-new characters, old favorite characters, bizarre space tech, strange transformations, property damage, telepathic shenanigans, Wolverine drinking whiskey, mutants playing baseball. Except perhaps for that last part.”



All 3 issues of these books are all slated for this October. As for the other X-Men titles, they will be effected by Schism as well; particularly X-Men: Legacy as soon as the mutants return from the Shi'ar.So see the new beginning of the X-Men. See the X-Men: Regenesis.


EDITORIAL


Okay. Finally. Unless you have been hiding under a rock or have not spoken to a single person in the last month . . . you know that DC Comics is planning to relaunch their entire line of comics. Yes. This September, DC Comics will release 52 new #1s, saying that this is not a reboot but a relaunch. And it has been confirmed that some of the characters origins have changed while others will stay the same. Most of the events before will have happened while others did not. There has been a LOT of information since the beginning of June about all the titles, creative teams and when all the books will be due out.

    This is also DC's first foray into day to digital, offering all their books on line for$3.99 the month they come out then go down to $1.99 the next month.  And just recently revealed, Justice League, the flagship title that will start the relaunch is the only book that will have a digital & physical copy sold at $4.99 . . .EVERY MONTH. It was recently confirmed that every issue of Justice League will sell a dual copy edition for now. This will not stop after the first issue but will be ongoing.


This is HISTORIC and EPIC as it gets in terms of the comic book industy. DC is making a big gamble in order to catch new readers while still keeping their old ones. Nicknamed the DCNU, the relaunch has been on the lips and minds of all comic book fans for the past month.
   And fan reaction has been mixed. There are upset fanboys who find this to be an act against God and Man, readying to march in protest & swear off DC Comics come this September. Meanwhile, a lot of casual readers, some die hard fans & even non comic book readers are thinking of actually picking up the books and start collecting come September.

   With that said, this is definitely in the minds of everyone in the industry. This has and will make history . . . whether it works or not. But due to a lot of the confusion and anger of Fanboys, and because still much information has been tight lipped, I would like to report something that will go along with the relaunch:

 FACT: The relaunch will provide jump on points for all the books.

  FACT: Previous continuity STILL counts and does not at the same time!

 And I will explain that briefly. The changes are going to occur after Flashpoint . . . immediately after Flashpoint as . . . 1. Flashpoint # 5 and Justice League # 1 will be the ONLY TWO books printed from DC come August 31st.

   Second, Geoff Johns, writer of Flashpoint, Green Lantern and upcoming Aquaman and Justice League titles has commented on several occassions since the beginning of Flashpoint is NOT just some event that won't matter after a while. He has said, over and over again, that Flashpoint would count in a major way. So, as Flashpoint goes on, we will see just how DC goes from what it was to DCNU DURING FLASHPOINT.

Let me say that again. We will see how the DCNU will come to be DURING FLASHPOINT.

Before I get the fans that say that the old continuity does not count . . . allow me to continue with YES IT DOES!

In order for Flashpoint to have occurred . . . the previous continuity had to have happened. That means everything before Flashpoint had to happen in order to get there.

Now, SPOILER:

  The Flash is working to get the universe back to the way it was will have to somehow bring about the birth of the DCNU.

So, cause the universe is the same but different, we will see this new universe come to be. Where? In Flashpoint.

That is why the changes in the DCNU are possible and yet, at the same time, many of the stories of the previous DCU are still in continuity.

It's like in Back to the Future when the Doc was shot down as Marty traveled back into 1955; Marty wrote the letter in to the Doc's younger self; Marty returns to 1985 and the Doc gets up after being shot wearing a bullet proof vest.

Fact of the matter is, the relaunch is happening. I am happy for it cause it means that comics are doing its best in order to stay alive. Comics don't have the readership that it used to and shops closed up around the country cause people stopped buy comics. We need new readers. We need fresh ideas. I love the old stuff too but this seems to be the best of both worlds.

DC is doing nothing more but what they have done with the Green Lantern, written by Geoff Johns, and had gotten so popular over the last decade that it warranted a movie at last; the Teen Titans, which is still a largely popular book spawning 2 cartoons in the last decade and The Flash; who we are seeing now grow and grow in popularity again.

Readers didn't mind that some old stuff was written out then. Why now?

I am looking forward to Teen Titans. I am looking forward to Geoff John's Aquaman and hope that he can do his best with make the character less of a joke and more of the king that he deserves to be treated like. I look forward to seeing Martian Manhunter on Stormwatch and seeing how the Wildstorm characters interact with the rest of the DCNU. I look forward to Static moving to NYC and making his mark there. I am looking forward to Batman, Bruce Wayne, actually working with his biological son, Damian Wayne and see how that works out. Heck, I am even intrigued to pick up Batgirl now because Barbara Gordon will be back as Batgirl. Yes . . . you read that right. And She's being written by Gail Simone. So that's win for me.

All I am saying is give the relaunch a chance. Give the company a chance to wow us. Give them the first six months to show us what this new world is made of. See the characters. Look at the art. See how this all works out before you decide to bury it, if you are against it. If you are for it . . . You will see me there every week in September getting as many #1s as I can afford.

I want to support my shops. My artists. My writers. My inkers. My colorists. My editorial teams. Their assistants. Their resources. Their books.  Do not let your own personal wants end up killing a company doing their best to give something for everyone.

And not just DC, but J1 studios too. Look at all our content. Look at our comics, our blogs, our videos . . . our events. We are doing this all for you fans. But we need your support to do that and if we don't get enough support we can't go on.

DC is merely doing the same thing.

And that is my own take on this. Me, Francisco K. Rodriguez. No one else. This is just my editorial and not the feelings of everyone at J1. Thank you for reading.


Sincerely, 


Francisco K. Rodriguez
Comic Book Clash Head






Calling all artists & writers. Have a project but understaffed? Have a great idea and art for it but no writer to flesh it out and make a great story of it? Have a great idea but just need that kind of artist that will give you that explosive, dynamic look your book needs? Well, Comic Book Clash News Edition will start posting WANT ads as soon as next week. Yes. We want you to give us your ads for the stuff you want or need. It can be a writer, artists, editor, inker, photographer or colorist. Let us know and show us what you need and we will post weekly. For details, contact me, Frankie, at francisco.k.rodriguez@gmail.com with the subject Comic Book Clash Want Ad and we will post the following week. All ads are due for that week no later than the monday before that week's CBC.

When you do put in for an ad, please put the following:

Your Name:
What You are Looking For:
A Small Description of What kind of Project:
Contact Information:

Hope to see those ads for next weeks regular News Edition.


SEE YA NEXT WEEK